Guest nights at commercial accommodations in Hungary rose 630% year-on-year to 1.164 million in December, albeit from a low base impacted by travel restrictions during the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic, according to data released by the Central Statistical Office (KSH).
The number of domestic tourist arrivals grew nearly eight-fold and that of tourism nights five-and-a-half-fold. The former was 282,000 and the latter 616,000. Approximately 79% of the nights were spent at hotels, their number rising more than seven-fold compared to a year earlier. Turnover in boarding houses and community hostels more than doubled compared to December last year. The two most popular tourism regions with almost equal shares were Lake Balaton and Budapest-Central Danube Region, each accounting for nearly a fifth of domestic tourism nights.
The number of international tourist arrivals rose fourteen-fold, to 217,000, and that of international tourism nights more than eleven-and-a-half-fold, to a total 548,000. About 88% of tourism nights were spent at hotels, which was a thirteen-and-a-half-fold growth compared to December 2020. The most popular tourism region was the Budapest–Central Danube Region, where three-quarters of international tourism nights were registered.
Total gross sales revenues grew nine-fold, to HUF 28 billion at current prices.
Still, compared to December 2019, the number of domestic guest nights was down 35%, and foreign tourists spent about 49% fewer nights than two years ago.
In December 2021, a total of 1,927 commercial accommodation establishments, including 732 hotels and 787 boarding houses, were open for part of or all over the month. Széchenyi Recreation Card holders paid 13 and a half times more, a total of HUF 1.7 bln by their card at commercial accommodation establishments.
Tourism nights up 11% in 2021
In 2021 as a whole, commercial accommodation establishments registered 11% more,a total of 15 million tourism nights. Domestic guests spent 5.9% and foreign ones 25% more (respective 10.5 million and 4.7 million) tourism nights in Hungary
The total gross sales revenues of commercial accommodation establishments were up by 24% at current prices and amounted to HUF 290 bln.
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